Service cock key and curb box cleaner



June 28, 1938. (5. w. DURNO SERVICE COCK KEY AND CURB BOX CLEANER Original Filed March 2, 1936 a 0 W G WITNESS Patented June 28, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SERVICE COCK KEY AND CURB BOX CLEANER George W. Durno, Pittsburgh, Pa.

1 Claim.

The invention relates to a duplex tool and more especially to a combination service cock key and curb box cleaner.

The primary object of the invention is' the provision of a tool of this character, wherein a curb cock or valve within a curb box can be readily and easily operated irrespective of the accumulation of dirt, trash or foreign matter as may be present within the box and often found therein constituting a barrier for access to the valve or cock as such dirt or foreign matter can be conveniently and easily removed for the successful working of the valve, the tool being novel in construction and is readily and easily handled for service as a key or a cleaner.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a tool of this character, wherein a sleeve is employed and in the latter is slidably mounted a rod to which is detachably coupled a gripping tool having spring arms, these cooperating with each other for removal of foreign matter or the like from curb boxes and such rod is provided with a terminal wrench serving as a key for operating a valve within the curb box, the rod being readily movable through the sleeve for the contracting of the spring arms of the grappling tool for the successful removal of dirt from the curb box. I

A further object of the invention is the provision of a tool of this character, which is simple in construction, readily and easily carried from place to place, thoroughly reliable and efficient in its operation, strong, durable, and inexpensive to manufacture.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter mbre fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, which discloses the preferred embodiment of the invention and pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through a tool constructed in accordance with the invention and shown partly broken away.

Figure 2 is an elevation of the gripping or grapple end of the tool.

Figure 3 is an elevation of the tool and shown gripping foreign matter.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views in the drawing.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the tool comprises a tubular barrel In which is of tapered formation and of the required length while interiorly of the smaller end of said barrel is a reinforcing collar II, it being fixed in any desirable manner while the opposite larger end I2 constitutes a flare. Slidably fitted within the barrel I0 is a rod l3 and threaded in the smaller 5 end and its companion collar H is a binding screw l4 which engages the rod 13 to hold the same adjusted and this screw is formed with a winged head l5. The rod l3 at its outermost end has formed therewith a wrench head I6 10 providing a key for a service cook or valve within a curb box (not shown).

The inner end of the rod l3 carries a threaded coupling collar I! for detachably fastening to the rod the stem I8 of a gripper or grapple hav- 15 ing the outwardly arched spring fingers or arms I9, these being approximately flattened with dished inner surfaces 20 to provide cavities therein while near the outer free ends of the fingers or arms are inwardly directed teeth or 20 spurs 2| so that such fingers or arms will grab a quantity of dirt, trash or foreign matter when the said fingers or arms are active against the flared end l2 of the tube l0 when the rod I3 is drawn upwardly therethrough. 25

The flared end l2 of the tube Ill acts upon the outwardly arched fingers or arms l9 to move the same together on the drawing inwardly of the rod I3 in the working of the tool for the grasping of dirt, trash or foreign matter from 30 within a curb box (not shown).

The tool is hand operated either for service as a wrench or key and for extracting or removal of dirt, trash or foreign matter from within a curb box. 35

What is claimed is:

A tool of the character described comprising a tapered tubular body open at opposite ends,

a collar fitting the smaller end of said body and having a fiat faced opening, a rod slidable in said 0 body and fitting the opening in said collar for holding said rod against rotation, a coupling sleeve on the inner end of said rod, a stem detachably threaded in the coupling sleeve, opposed outwardly divergent spring arms fixed to 45 said stem, the arms being bent intermediate thereof to have the outer ends of said arms straight and parallel with each other, spurs bent from and extended inwardly of the spring arms at their outer free ends, and means thread- 50 ed in the smaller end of the body and said collar for locking the rod against sliding movement therein, the spring arms being adapted to work through the larger end of the body for expansion and contraction of said arms. 55

GEORGE W. DURNO. 

